On November 25, 2025, Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court ordered former president Jair Bolsonaro to begin serving a 27-year prison sentence for orchestrating a failed coup attempt following his loss in the 2022 election. The decision came after Bolsonaro’s defense team chose not to file a second appeal, rendering the September verdict final. He is to serve his sentence at the Federal Police headquarters in Brasília, where he is currently held.
Bolsonaro was found guilty on multiple counts, including plotting a militarized coup, leading an armed criminal organization, attempting to violently abolish democracy, and conspiring to assassinate key political figures. The court described the plot as a direct threat to Brazil’s democratic institutions, calling it an attempted “annihilation” of the rule of law. Several of his former ministers and top military allies also received lengthy prison sentences for their involvement in the plot.
Until this order, Bolsonaro had been under house arrest since August 2025. However, over the weekend preceding the court’s decision, he allegedly tampered with his electronic ankle monitor, an act deemed by the court to indicate a flight risk. This led the court to revoke his conditional confinement and order that he serve the full sentence in custody.
The imprisonment of a former head of state marks a historic moment in Brazil. Public reactions are sharply divided, with Bolsonaro’s supporters denouncing the sentence as political persecution, while opponents hail it as justice for threats to democracy. The verdict could have lasting implications for Brazil’s political landscape, weakening far-right populism and discouraging future anti-democratic movements.
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